Permutation-lock



(ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

J. R. BETTIS.

PERMUTATION LOCK.

No. 359,838. Patented Mar. 22, 1887* Wvbmss e/s UNITED STATES PATENT trier.

.JAllIE-S R. BETTIS, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

PERM UTATION-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,838, dated March 22, 1887.

Application filed August 30, 1886. Serial "No. 212,17... (Modem .To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES R. Bnrcrls, of Little Rock, Arkansas, have made a new and useful Improvement in Permutation-Locks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This improved lock may be classified with those designed to be operated in the dark, as that part of the mechanism used in manipulating theloclidoes not require to be visualized.

The improvement relates to the mechanism as a whole, and also to certain of its unitary portions, substantially as is hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, and exhibiting a desirable mode of carrying out the improvement, Figure 1 is a front side elevation of the lock, the near plate and also the nearest tumbler bemg partly broken away to exhibit the mechanism beyond. Fig. 2 is a view analogous to that of Fig. 1, but showing the tumblers down and the bolt thrust back. Figs. 3, 4., 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12 aredetails. Fig. 13 is the front edge elevation of the lock, the front plate being removed and the tumblers being up. Fig. 14 is the rear edge elevation of the lock, the rear edge plate being removed and the tumblers being in the same position as in Fig.13. Fig. 15 is a view in perspective, looking toward its front edge, of one of the tumblers. Fig. 16 is a view, looking toward its rear edge, of the tumbler; and Fig. 17 isaview of one of the plates or strips used in spacing the tumblers apart.

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

The frame-work of the lock in the present instance consists, mainly, of the front and rear side plates, A and A, which are connected by suitable bolts, a, and so as to inclose the principal portion of the movable parts of the lock and to supply the bearings for the various bolts, pins, and shafts of the mechanism.

B represents the knob used in withdrawing the bolt 0, and also in raising the tumblers D D D". The belt C is adapted to be moved 1ongitudinally in the bearing 0, being moved outward by means of the spring 0, Figs. 1, 2-, and inward by means of an arm, 1), Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6, which is fastened to the knob-shaft Z), and

Whose outer end, when the knob is turned to Withdraw the bolt, encounters a shoulder, 0", upon said bolt, and thereby moves the same inwardlyinto the position shown in Fig. 2, unlocking the lock. The bolt, however, is operated in connection with the series of tumblers D D, 8m, the extension 0 upon the innerend of the bolt entering slots d in all the tumblers as a condition of the movement of the bolt.

The tumbler series may consist of any.

desired number of tumblers. In the construction exhibited three, D D D, are used. They are arranged vertically bet-ween the side plates, A A, and are separated by the spacing-plates E from each other and from the side plates, and are adapted to be raised and lowered, as presently described, in which vertical movement they are guided in the edgewise direction of the look by the guide-plate F, which, by means of the pins f, Figs. 1, 2, one of which is fixed in each side, and each having a screw-threaded eud,is adapted to be, by nuts thereon, secured to the side plates, A A, and passes through the verti call yextended slot (1 in the tumblers and in the spacingplates. This last-named slot (1 is sufficiently extended to permit of the desired movement of the tumblers. 'In the front edge of each tumbler is a series of perforations, (2", Figs. 13, 15.

G represents a pin adapted to be inserted in any one of the perforations d of the tumbler D. A similar pin, G, can be similarlyinserted in the perforations d of the tumbler D, and pins G2 in the perforations of the tumbler D These pins, in conjunction with the lever H, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4,13, that is pivoted on the knobshaft, are employed in lifting the tumblers. The knob-shaft b is provided with a projection or projections, b which, when the knob is turnedin the opposite direction to that when withdrawing the bolt 0, encounter and upturn the lever H from the position of Fig. 2 into the position of Fig. 1, and in so doing cause the lever to pressupward against the pins G G G and thereby raise the tumblers from their down position, Fig. 2, into their up position, Figs. 1, 13, 14. The distance the tunibler is lifted depends upon the position of its pin. If the pin is in the uppermost of the perforations (F, as in the case of the pin G in the tumbler D, Fig. 18, that tumbler D is not lifted by the distance of two perforations, as far as the tumbler D, whose pin G is inserted in the thirdperforatiomd", from thetop, or two perforations lower than the pin G in the tumbler D; and if, as illustrated in Fig. 13, the pin G is in the fifth perforation from the top in the tumbler D that last-named tumbler will be lifted two perforations higher than the tumbler D and four perforations higher than the tumbler D. Hence, to form any desired combination, the pins G G G are inserted accordingly in the perforations (Z in their respective tumblers.

The perforations d" are similarlyarrangcd in the three tumblers, and the slot (Z in each tumbler is the same distance from the perforations (Z, and hence, if the tumblers arelifted, as described, unequally, the slots (1 in the respective tumblers will be at different elevations above the level of the bolt-extension c; and, to bring the three slots (Z into line hori-. zontally at the level of the bolt-extension, the tumblers must be lowered, respectively, according to=the distances to which they have previously been raised by the rotation of the knob-shaft and the upturning of the lever H. The tumblers, after being lifted, as described, are upheld by means of the dogs I I 1 respectively, as follows: Each tumbler, at its.

back edge, is provided with or is constructed to form projections or teeth in the form of a double row, (Z d", the teeth d in one row being respectively opposite the spaces between the teeth (2 in the other row. The distances, vertically, between the teeth in the row (1 and also in the row (1, respectively, correspond to the distances between the perforations (Z The dogs are fastened,respectively, at i to the thrust-pinsJ J J, which pass transversely.

through the plates A A, and are adapted, when pressure is applied to the heads j of the pins,

to be moved endwise in the direction of the arrow :0, Fig. 14, and, when released, to be moved backward by means of the springsj. When a thrust-pin is thus pushed in the direction of the arrow, its dog, which has been engaged with the teeth d, is moved laterally into engagement with the teeth (1", and when moved in the opposite direction the dog is moved laterally backward into engagement with the teeth [Z again, during and by reason of which movement of the dog the tumbler drops the distance of one tooth downwardz By repeating the operation, the tumbler is lowered another tooth, and so on. The other tumblers are similarly lowered by means of their respective thrust-pins and dogs. The dogs are extended at z" to bear upon somepart of the construction and, preferably, as shown in Fig. 14, where the extended end rests upon the thrust-pin below and the next upon the thrust-pin belowits'point of attachment, and so on until finally the outer or last extension will rest upon the bolt which unites the two plates of the locks together; or a special bari may be provided for the purpose, if desired, thereby to more securely keep the point of the dog in engagement with the teeth.

The operation of the improved lock is as fol lows: The pins G G" G" are first adjusted in the perforations d in the tumblers, respectively, to set the look at the combination agreed:

upon. The combination illustrated is 0-2-4,

the pin G being in the uppermost perforation in the tumbler D, the pin Gin the third perfour times, lowering its tumbler D four spaces and bringing its slot d in line with the slots (1 cl. Then, by rotating the knob and causing the arm I) to bear against the shoulder 0 the bolt-extension enters the three slots d (Z d ill the three tumblers, respectively, and the lock is opened.

Figs. 1, 12, 13, 14. This shaft is journaled in the plates A A, and is provided at the inner side of the lock with the handlek andbetween the plates A A with the projection k, which, when the shaft is rotated, comes against the dogs and, by springing the dogs backwarchl disengages them from the tumblers.

I desire not to be limited Ito straight atum-.

blers moving vertically, for the tumblers may be made of any desired shape without in any from the essential novelty degree departing above described.

I claim 1. The combination of the bolt having the extension with the series of tumblers and spacing-plates between, bothslotted to admit said extension, as and for the purpose describedl 2. The combination of the knob, the knob shaft, the projection on the knobshaft, the.

tumblers, the pivoted lever for. raising said tumblers, the pins inserted in or upon the tumblers, and means for maintaining said tumblers in their raised position, substantially as described.

3. The tumblers having the adjustable pins, and also being slotted to admit an extension or part of thelocking-bolt, in combination with a lever for raising said tumblers,and means for maintaining such tumblers in their raised position, as described.

4. The combination, with the side plates, the slotted tumblers, and spacing-plates hav- The thrustpi n J d oes not require All of the tumblers can be dropped simultaneously, say, by means of the shaft K,

IOO,.

ing slots therein, of the guide-plate having a 1 screw-threaded pin in each side, as described- 5. The vertically-arranged tumblers, each having a double row of teeth on its back edge,

the teeth in one row being opposite the spaces vided with teeth and the dogs, of the shaft proof the other row, in combination with the latvided with the projection for disengaging the erally-movable dogs and thrust-pins, substandogs from the teeth of the tumblers as detially as described. scribed.

5 6. The combinatiomwith the tumblers hav- Witness my hand.

in the pins and teeth and the lever for movr in; the tumblers, of the thrust-pins and mov- JAMES BE DTIS able dogs for lowering said tumblers, substan \Vitnesses: tially as described. EDWARD E. S UIREs, 1o 7. The combination, with the tumblers pro- XVILLIAM MITCHELL. 

